This invention relates to a technique in water-drop-proofing (hereinafter referred to merely as "drop-proofing" when applicable) and dust proofing cameras.
In taking pictures in rainy or dusty environments or in water splashes, a conventional camera is unsatisfactory in that the film may be damaged and even the camera itself may be damaged. Thus, the utility of conventional cameras is limited.
The present invention is intended to provide an all-weather camera in which the above-described limitations are eliminated without hindering the operability of the camera; that is, to provide a device for protecting the operating section of a camera from water drops and dust. Furthermore, the protection device also helps to reduce the operating sound of a camera. Therefore, the utility of the device according to the invention is considerably high.
In a conventional method of protecting the operating section a camera from water drops or dust, which is employed in a special photographing camera such as an underwater camera, an "O"-ring is provided between a shaft and a bearing. Accordingly, such a camera needs a large thrust space for using the "O"-ring. Water-proofing between the shaft and the bearing is obtained by employing the "O"-ring against its viscoelasticity and, therefore, friction between the operating shaft and the "O"-ring is increased. As a result, the shaft mobility is hindered, and if the shaft has a self-restoring function, it is necessary to provide a strong spring therefor. This type of internal construction is often unsuitable for ordinary cameras.